No Catholic women deacons yet

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Almost eight years ago, in the early days of Francis’ pontificate, The Uncertaintist predicted that the Roman Catholic Church would ordain women as permanent deacons by the year 2020.

It’s 2021. That didn’t happen; I was wrong.

Some progress has been made since Francis became Pope. In 2016, he appointed a commission to study the service of women deacons in the early church. The group failed to reach a consensus. Its 2019 final report hasn’t been made public, but has circulated within the Vatican. In April 2020, the Pope appointed a second commission (link). Their work continues as of this writing

In January 2021, just a few days ago, Pope Francis on his own initiative made a one-word change in canon law that offers some sign of his continued personal interest in the problem. As a practical matter, it hastens the day when there could be women deacons who are ordained in his church on the same terms as men are ordained as permanent deacons today.

Catholic women deacons by 2020

Pope Francis now settles into his first full week as leader of the Roman Catholic Church. There is one long-lived, self-inflicted nuisance that he and the Church can and should begin to fix starting this very week. “Begin to fix,” because the remedy is radical, and ought not to be confused with any half-way measure that Francis could implement this afternoon with a pen stroke. Ironically, if and when the change is implemented, many will see it as a half-way measure anyway. They will be wrong.

The Roman Catholic Church should ordain women as permanent deacons by the end of this decade, beginning during Francis’ pontificate. That way, one leader can oversee the reform, if the groundwork begins now. Here’s why women should be ordained as deacons without further avoidable delay.